Emily Douglas

Background

About Emily Douglas

I am eager to listen to and engage with members of the Blaine Community. My goal is to not only maintain the existing community events and positive relationships but to find innovative ways to connect with traditionally underserved populations and create opportunities for positive interactions between police and residents. Having difficult conversations is necessary to create relationships and understand experiences to ultimately build relationships. I hope my work contributes to making Blaine an even greater community than it already is. Working with crime victims and witnesses in Anoka County for 18 years provides me a perspective from the other end of the criminal justice system, which benefits me in planning public safety education and prevention efforts. My work experience as a victim service provider has helped me develop exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to relate to people from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. In all roles, it has been important that I recognize my own culture, opinions and biases and understand how they intersect with others’. I have been fortunate to work on an extensive range of cases from Disorderly Conduct to First Degree Murder alongside prosecutors who are trauma-informed and victim-centered. The experience and training I have received has led me to understand the complexities of victimization, acquire extensive knowledge of criminal and civil interventions, and understand the practices of other criminal justice professionals. Among the trauma and stress of crime victimization, there are shocking and redeeming moments of empowerment and grace. People are resilient and persevere through unfathomable tragedy and I am honored to have walked with them through their individual journeys. Involvement on collaborative committees and multidisciplinary teams has been essential to build a substantial network of resources, partner on community outreach and education, and stay current with trends and best practices.